


Sacrifices 5

by evieplease



Category: Tom Hiddleston - Fandom
Genre: Cardiac, F/M, Physical Abuse, Scotland, Verbal Abuse, abusive boss, tom hiddleston - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-11
Updated: 2016-01-11
Packaged: 2018-05-13 03:00:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5692120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evieplease/pseuds/evieplease
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mayhem on the Red Carpet leads to an encounter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sacrifices 5

**Author's Note:**

> Note: I know nothing of Tom’s Dad! I have no idea if he even has a step mother. Everything in this story is fiction straight out of my fevered brain. Any resemblance to any person living or dead is in your own sick head, and not my responsibility at all!

I surveyed both outfits hanging from the back of my closet the next morning. The grey-skirted business suit, or the more elegantly casual black slacks and fitted royal blue silk blouse.

I glanced over my shoulder at Tom as he was buttoning his waistcoat. I nodded at my choices. "What do you think, Tom?"

He stepped over and dropped a kiss on the side of my neck. "Whichever one you like, darling. You'll look beautiful either way."

I huffed at him. "Tom. I'll be seeing your parents, and even though it's not one of those 'bringing the girl home to meet the parents ' situations, I still want to hold the side up! Your stepmother... I want to at least look as though you have good taste in women..."

His hands slid around my waist and he nuzzled my ear. "Melissa, I do have good taste in women. You taste very good, indeed..."

He reached around my shoulder to the blue silk blouse and ran a finger down it. "Wear this one." He dropped another kiss on my shoulder and went to search for his shoes.

I rapidly dressed, put my hair up in a French twist, and did my face. Finishing quickly, I went out to the front hall to put a few last minute items, cosmetics and so on, into my carry on. I found Tom there, looking at his phone. I'm going to have to get over this breathless reaction every time I see him. He's standing there, feet wide, in 2/3's of his three piece suit, his black suit trousers, black waistcoat and white shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows. Fuck. me. Just get over it, I tell myself. Don't make a fool of yourself. No drooling. Definitely don't trip and accidentally fall onto his dick...again. But oh my god, how is it possible that seeing the marks of my nails in the skin of his wrist is actually making me wet? Damn me.

Looking up, he asked "Did I forget something?" I flourished my packet of birth control pills at him without comment, before stooping and tucking them into my bag.

I watched his face fly through several different expressions, none of which I could decipher. But all he said was "Ah."

I slapped my hands on my thighs as I stood. "Are we ready?" glancing around, making sure all the lights were off.

"You'll need a coat. Scotland can be rather chilly. First, though..." He adjusted the collar on my blouse, opening another button, running his finger along the edge of the blouse into my cleavage. Am I even breathing? Tom looks down into my face, his eyes impossibly blue and tender, somehow longing and possessive. The finger moves gently back up the edge of my blouse til it reaches my collar bone, his finger marking the spot where the silk ends. He brushed the blouse aside from that point, and his lips descended just to the left of his fingertip. He nuzzled the spot and gave it a searching lick. Oh, god. "Tom..."

He grasped the back of my head with his other hand, and slowly pulled my head back, stretching my neck as his mouth roamed over my throat. Then his mouth concentrated on that spot to the left at the top of my breast, licking and sucking, drawing on my flesh. Fuck! I'm moaning, and if he weren't holding me perfectly steady for his attentions, I would definitely be rubbing myself on him. What in hells name is he about?

Oh, fuck me. The answer blooms in my head. He's fucking marking me. Just as I had asked him to do night before last. And he's deliberately placed his mark right where it's is mostly concealed. I look down at my chest. The mark's visibility is a matter of the movement of my body and the movement of the light silk blouse I'm wearing.

He stands, looking down at my chest, fingering the mark he's left, before he looks into my face. I've no idea what my expression conveys. Some combination of "Did you really just do that?" with "Oh fuck me now!" I imagine.

Tom looks a bit sheepish. "I probably should have...asked if I could do that, hmmm?" He glanced back at the mark under his fingertips. His voice deepened, "but I can't say I'm sorry..."

He opened my front closet and ran a hand over the garments hanging there. His hand stopped at my favorite red wool wrap, and he pulled it off the hanger. He swirled it over me, adjusting it on my shoulders. "Oh yes." He smoothed his hands over the wrap, stepped in and kissed my forehead with a sigh. 

The trip was uneventful except the minor bobble on the way to security at the airport. A papparazzi spotted Tom and snapped a couple of pictures. Fortunately, I was walking a couple of meters ahead of him, so it wasn't obvious that we were traveling together. The pap skipped ahead for more photos, and took one of me, asking if I was with Tom. 

"Who?" I asked innocently, turning to look behind. "Oh, my gosh! Is that Tom Hiddleston??"

Tom looked up, his eyes laughing at me. I slowed my steps to come even with him. "May I have your autograph, Mr. Hiddleston? Oh, gosh, where's my pen?!" I scrabbled in my bag.

"No problem, darling, I have one," he said, pulling out a pen from his breast pocket. I pulled a tattered book receipt from my bag and handed it over. He stopped briefly to scrawl his signature, while muttering in my ear. "Wicked woman! You're going to pay for this, darling..."

I snickered, and whispered back,"I already did, Grandad!" He laughed and smoothly kissed my cheek, striding away on long legs, hitching his bag on his shoulder. I stood still a moment, being the star struck fangirl, watching him walk away, (yum!) and clutching his autograph to my chest. The pap decided I wasn't anyone, and moved off to follow Tom. Tom got through security just as the pap caught up, so he was out of luck. I followed, making my way to security and the gate, finding a seat a few rows away to wait for boarding, where I took my book out of my carry on and studiously ignored him.

I did carefully stow the receipt with his autograph in my wallet, however.

***

All the animation and life drained out of Tom's face as he stepped toward the silver coiffed older woman in the otherwise empty hospital waiting room. It was quite remarkable, the change in his face, becoming stiff and emotionless.

The woman rather regally lifted her cheek for a kiss. Tom dutifully stepped forward, and grasped her elbow. "Felicia." he intoned, and quickly air kissed both her cheeks. "How is he?"

"Thomas." Her cold blue eyes flicked over me, and returned to him. "He's resting. I thought I asked you not to come quite yet."

I stiffened. Why that old cow! Really?? She's going to give the man a hard time for coming to see his own father in hospital? I looked her over. Petite, well dressed, not a hair out of place. Icy blue eyes. She'd have been quite beautiful if it weren't for the sour expression of distaste. Bullies apparently come in all sizes and ages, I guess.

Tom turned and reached a long arm out to me, drawing me closer. His hand resting on my lower back. For my comfort or his?

"Felicia, this is Melissa Charles. Melissa, this is my step-mother, Felicia Hiddleston."

"So nice to meet you Mrs. Hiddleston. I wish it were under better circumstances." I said politely, (or none at all, I thought silently) extending my hand.

The woman actually sniffed and tilted her head at me, ignoring my hand altogether. I could see Tom wince out of the corner of my eye. I did the only thing that made any sense, the only thing I could. I burst out laughing. What?

"You really are a stone bitch, aren't you, love?" I tsked my tongue at her and shook my head, as if severely disappointed in her. As I was. Tom is looking at me with an astonished expression on his face, his eyes wide. I winked at him. 

Tom choked and snickered, then threw back his head and laughed. A full, complete, eheheheh, Hiddleston laugh. One I hadn't heard since yesterday morning before he took the call from the wicked witch, here.

She spluttered a moment, turning a bright shade of red. I almost thought she was going to cry. It looked good on her... "Well!" she finally huffed out. Scintillating conversationalist, this woman. 

I sniggered, laughing at the spectacle of this ridiculous old woman playing imperious lady-of-the-manor, trying to intimidate a fully grown man in the same way she obviously had when he was a teen. Tom was wiping tears of mirth from his eyes. I watched as it dawned on Tom that he no longer had to defer to this bully, at bit of laughter and her fangs had been well and truly pulled. At least for the moment. He stood straighter, and looked down at her as the smile slid off his face. As if he'd had a first glimpse of the possibility that his enemy was not as fearsome as he had long believed. She paled a bit. I think that might have been the first time she realised how much larger he is than herself, and that he would no longer be intimidated. He took up her challenge.

"Of course I came, Felicia. He's my father, and I love him." he ground out. "You...would do well to remember that. But I'm not entirely unreasonable. As you can see, I've left my 'appalling circus' at home. There is really no need for us to be at odds. Now. Is there anything at all I can do for you before we go see him?" he asked politely. Stern Tom is a revelation.

"No... thank you." She managed. Here was a woman who had discovered that her relationship with her step-son had taken an entirely unlooked for turn. She was almost meek. I wondered how long it would take for the shock to wear off. And I wondered if I had misjudged her.

"I'll see you later then, shall I?" Tom nodded cordially at her, and took my hand, leading me out of the waiting room and down the hall. Suddenly he pulled us both through an open door into an empty room off the corridor. 

"My god, Melissa, that was brilliant!" he grinned at me. "Do you have any idea how long...?" He wrapped his arms around me, picked me up and swung us in a circle, before setting me down again, his signature tongue-between-his-teeth laughing smile beaming down at me, the sun breaking out at last.

My smile faded. "Look, Tom. I really shouldn't have... I was very rude. I'm sorry for that. It really wasn't any of my business, and I hope I haven't got you crosswise to your dad..."

Tom laughed. "Oh, absolutely not! Dad's going to love you!" I watched the blue sparkle turn darker, more intent. His large palm engulfed the back of my head. With a flick of his eyes from mine to my lips, he closed the distance between our mouths, Saying "Thank you" against my lips, tracing his lips barely against mine, once, twice, before pressing firmly against mine, licking my lower lip. I opened and let him in, sighing at the contact. This man...

After a slow thorough kiss, he pulled back a few centimeters to gaze into my face and cup my cheek. He leaned his forehead gently against mine. We breathed each others air quietly for a moment before Tom took a deep breath and stepped back. I turned toward the door, and looking back over my shoulder, stretched a hand out to him.

"Come on. Let's go see your dad." He clasped my hand and I towed him gently through the door. I slid my hand into his elbow, waiting for him to orient himself and pick a direction. He pulled us around and started off down the long hallway, his hand covering the hand I'd tucked into his elbow. He darted a quick sideways kiss onto my temple as we walked.

I'm still bewildered about why I am here, not believing that he would ever really assault that woman, but my presence seems to be bringing Tom some comfort, so I'm just going with it. I can do this for him... whatever this is. Of course, I hadn't thought that I'd actually be defending him from his wicked stepmother. I really wonder how their relationship is going to play out, now that Tom seems to have realized that the dragon is much smaller than he had believed.

I look up at him and raise an eyebrow. "So, got any more little old ladies you want me to beat up for you?" Tom chuckled.

"No, that was the only one. Thank you for... I don't even know how to say it...for 'dealing' with my stepmother. For opening my eyes. She has plagued me for years. Honestly darling, you were brilliant. Such a simple thing really, to just laugh at her... When they first married, I was just a boy. It was obvious that she didn't like me from the start. I never really knew why. It seems like I've spent my life trying to get her approval, or failing that, simply to avoid her. I've never seen anyone stand up to her the way you did today." I could hear him swallow and pull a shaky breath in. "No one has ever... defended me as you did today."

"Your dad never...?

"Oh, no. Dad made it pretty clear from the start that he wasn't going to take any shite from a 15 year old about his love life." A wry smile crossed his lips. "I suppose I shouldn't have tried to start that conversation by calling her a ‘horrible cold bitch’. After that I mostly tried to stay clear of her, to placate her when I couldn't avoid her..." He walked on pensively.

It pissed me off. The very idea that a parent, step or no, could treat a child, could treat Tom that way for years, as if he were a nuisance, or a fuck-up waiting to happen. An interloper in his own family... It made me feel bloody angry

I stopped dead in the hall, giving Tom's arm a tug, and pulled him around to face me, looking up into his. I'm surprised at my fierce desire to defend him. Maybe even from himself.

"Grandad, you know you're too old for her shit now, right? You're not a teenager wanking off in the guest towels any longer! You're a grown-ass, successful, kind man, and if she doesn't like it she really can just go fuck herself!" 

Tom burst into laughter, and hugged me to him. After a moment he said, "Darling, I'll have you know that I had more class than to wank into the guest towels!"

I snickered. "What towels did you use?"

Tom laughed as he knocked and pushed the last door right at the end of the corridor open, ushering me into his fathers' hospital room with his hand in mine. We stopped at the bedside of Adonis, Sr. Clearly, Tom had got his colouring from the Scottish side of the family. And his looks. Mr. Hiddleston is not as slender as Tom, and possibly a centimeter or two shorter. It's hard to tell with him lying in bed, but there's an awful lot of long Hiddleston under the blanket. 

"How're ya going, Dad?" Tom asked, reaching for his hand.

"Better now, Thomas. It's good to see you." The man in the bed smiled gently at Tom, and squeezed his hand.

"Give us a kiss, boy." Lifting a silver bristled cheek.

Tom grinned back, leaning down and kissing the old man's cheek. I had to stifle a laugh that wanted to bubble out. How on earth is this lovely man married to that prissy old bitch?

"You look well, Dad. Better than I expected. How do you feel?"

"I *am* well. All this fuss over a bit of chest pain. Humph. I'm a bit tired after all that rigamarole, nothing a decent nights' sleep in my own bed won't cure, I'm sure. Doctor says I'll be going home tomorrow, any road." I thought he looked amazingly robust for a man who'd had a heart procedure less than 24 hours ago. Maybe a little pale. But still. There are some men who age beautifully; Cary Grant, George Clooney, Pierce Brosnan... Tom's father was clearly one such.

Mr. Hiddleston looked around Tom at me, his eyes flicking to Tom's hold on my hand. Tom tugged me forward and introduced me. "Dad, this is Melissa Charles. Melissa, my dad, James Hiddleston."

"Lovely to meet you, Mr. Hiddleston." I said as I took the hand he extended, smiling down at him. "Your boy here has been a bit worried over you! So, you know, you can stop that any time…!"

Mr. Hiddleston leaned his head back on his pillow and chuckled, a deeper tone, but still the Hiddleston laugh. I think I just fell a little bit in love with this old man. "Scolding me in my hospital bed...! I like you already! Do call me James, won't you dear girl?" he said, twinkling bluely at me. I cocked my head and looked him over. Ok, I was ogling him. And I made sure he noticed. His grin got a little bit wider.

"I'll tell you what. I'll call you James, if you'll just carry on calling me 'dear girl'...?" He chuckled, and glanced at Tom, sharing some indecipherable look, before turning his attention back to me.

"It's a deal, dear girl! Thomas, get the lady a chair, will you?" Tom pulled a chair over to the bedside and sat me in it, giving my hand a squeeze.

"Aren't you a charmer? I see where Grandad here gets it!" I flicked my thumb at Tom. James laughed, cutting his eyes at Tom. Returning his attention to me, he added mischief to his grin.

"Call 'im Grandad, do you?"

I leaned forward and grinned wickedly. "Well, only because it makes him growl..." James and I snickered together. Tom growled, setting us off again. James looked over my shoulder at Tom.

"Do you know, I could do with a cup of tea, Thomas..." James hinted broadly.

I craned my head back and looked up at Tom. Tom blinked at his father in surprise.

I started to stand. "Oh, I can get that for you! You should visit with Tom..." Tom's hand came down on my shoulder, pressing me back into the chair.

"Nonsense, dear girl! Thomas knows how I take my tea, don't you lad?"

"Of course, Dad. Would you like one as well, darling?"

"Oh, um, sure, that would be wonderful! Thank you." 

Tom squeezed my hand. "I'll be back in a tick. Don't believe a word he says!"

I squeezed back. "Oh, you can leave him with me. I'm sure we'll have a nice natter, won't we James?" I tugged Tom's hand and he bent closer to me. "Don't worry," I murmured. "I promise not to discuss your prowess in bed with your father while you're gone!"

Tom stood abruptly, pink on his cheeks. "Christ! You two deserve each other! I'll be back with the tea. Behave yourselves!"

Tom strode out of the room, shaking his head. He might have been swearing under his breath... 

James watched Tom leave, and when the door swung shut he tipped his head at me, regarding me curiously.

"So, dear girl, how long have you known our Thomas?" he asked quietly, all joking aside.

"James," I said, "I've known Tom for all of two and a half days, but here I am. I'm not quite sure why... But he's a nice man. A son to be proud of." I nodded decisively at him.

James' soft blue eyes smiled at me in approval. "Oh, he is indeed. As for why you are here, I expect it's so you can run interference between Tom and his stepmother."

Perceptive old man. I coloured a bit. "Well," I muttered, "mission accomplished..."

"Ah? Do tell. You've met my wife?"

"Briefly. I must say, James..." I grimaced and only just stopped myself from blurting out to the man I'd just met that I wasn't too impressed with his wife, whom I had also just met!

James chuckled. "Dear girl, I'm fully aware of my wife's, shall we say, less than congenial attitude toward my Thomas! Tell me, truly, what did you think?"

I regarded him curiously. Does he really want an honest answer? I shrugged. I don't want to upset the man, but equally, he did demand an answer. I won't lie to him. I don't know why.

"James, frankly, I've never met someone who so instantly got up my nose. I'm afraid I was appallingly rude to her. I'm terribly sorry."

James nodded, and sighed. "She's always been prickly where Thomas is concerned. I do wish they could get on."

"Prickly!" I blurted, ready to leap to Tom's defense. Then I stopped myself. The man is ill, and it's not my place to carry tales.

"What on earth is up with those two, anyway? I've only known Tom for a short while, James, but his reaction to Felicia was... completely out of character. The very picture of man with quite a large stick up his arse!"

James laughed at my description. "Oh yes. And the one residing in Felicia's backside is worse!" He sighed. "I wish they could be friends. I've never understood why... If you've only seen her with Thomas, you've never actually met my Felicia. She's a lovely girl, really. They just bring out the worst in each other..." 

"Huh. How have you stood it all these years? It would drive me mad..." I rolled my eyes and blew out an exasperated breath.

"Oh, I've had a fair few drinks over the years, I can tell you!" he chuckled.

I sat forward and put my hand on his. "Have you never done anything about it? It seems obvious to me that you care about them both..."

"Oh, no, dear girl! The last thing they need, those two, is to have me trampling about and mucking things up even worse!"

“James, honey, frankly I don't see how you could make it much worse!" I eyed him. 

James fell quiet for a moment. "You're very easy to talk to, did you know? You seem to have an intuitive grasp on the situation..."

I sat back and looked at James, a bit bewildered at how rapidly our conversation had become so personal, and well, intense. I thought a moment, and shrugged. In for a penny...

"James," I laid my hand on his conspiratorially, "how would you feel about playing up your illness a bit for the cause?"

His eyebrows shot up in surprise, and then he scowled. "Really, dear girl, why would I want more fuss? I don't want to worry my wife any more than she already is!"

"Mmm. I understand. But, it occurs to me that your son has a protective streak just about a kilometer wide...?"

James nodded, his mouth quirking up. Damn, he looks so like Tom...

"So, if you played up a bit for Felicia, got her to ask Tom for his help fetching her irascible husband home from hospital? What's going to happen when she has to drop all that defensive armour and ask Tom for his help?"

"Ah. Hmm." James sat back and regarded me with satisfaction. "Yes, of course... Alright, then." Mischief twinkled in his eyes, making them blue-er.

"Mind you," I cautioned, "it might not do any good. I've only known him two and a half days, James, and her not at all..."

"Ah, but if it does, I'll certainly owe you!"

"Well," I laughed, "I expect I won't be around long enough to collect anyway..."

He looked a bit anxious. "Melissa, my dear, please don't hurt my boy. He's had enough heartbreak in his life..."

My eyes snapped up to his in astonishment. "Me?! Hurt him??" A slightly hysterical laugh escaped me. "James," I gasped, "I assure you that it is highly unlikely that I...that Tom will be the one getting hurt!" To my dismay, I felt a tear trickle down my cheek. Shit!

James surveyed my face, taking his time, weighing. "Oh my dear girl, you have it bad, don't you?" He smiled gently at me, very like his son.

My heart plummeted. I managed a watery smile at him. "Yes, sir, I believe I do... And you'll be keeping that under your hat, won't you?"

He pulled a handful of tissues from the box on his tray table, and handed them to me.

"Dear girl, I have never seen my Thomas so taken with a woman. Don't you see how he looks at you? He is not an impulsive man, you know. He generally thinks things through quite carefully before acting. That he has hauled you to Scotland on two and a half days' acquaintance says something, don't you think?" He cocked a knowing eyebrow.

I sat back and blew a strand of hair off my forehead. "Two and a half days, James!" I admonished. "Don't...read too much into this. I was there when he took the call from his stepmother. She shook him badly. He needed a shoulder, and I was ready to hand. Specifically, he asked me to stop him murdering his stepmother, and I hope very much that I haven't made it worse for him!”

I can't believe how different this man is from his wife. Where she appears to be an icy forbidding wall, he is a warm hug and a hearth fire. I shook my head at the thought of such a 'mixed ' marriage being successful, but they'd been married, I gather, since Tom was 15, so nearly 20 years! They say that opposites attract, but for fuck's sake! I can't imagine how they make that work. I'm rather curious to see the two of them together. But I'll very likely be off home before I get the chance…

I looked up from shredding a tissue to see James watching my face keenly. I reached a hand to my face, colouring. "What? Have I got spiders in my hair?" James laughed and shook his head.

"Has anyone ever told you how very expressive your face is, dear girl?" I felt my cheeks heat. And, naturally my eyes puddled. I dashed the tears from my eyes. 

James looked concerned. "I seem to have a knack for making you cry…”

I sniffled and laughed a bit, as I wiped under my eyes. "Don't worry, the tears thing is just what I do. Happy, sad, angry, embarrassed, it all makes me tear up! You should see me around puppies! It's a damned inconvenience... An affliction, really. Sorry." I shrugged, and smiled ruefully at him.

James settled back on his pillows, thoughtfulIy. "So our Thomas has found a girl who wears her heart on her sleeve, just as he does." He looked me over. I have the oddest sense that he knows all my secrets, and will keep them for me... 

"You'll do." James said with a nod and some satisfaction. I blinked at him.

"Whose side are you on?" I laughed, just as Tom walked into the room.

"His." James said, tipping a finger at Tom. I looked at Tom, who had come to a stop, his mouth a little open, and a slash of pink across his cheeks. I swear, my heart expanded in that moment. I quickly stood and stooped to give James a swift kiss on his cheek. I murmured, "As it should be," in his ear, and smiled into his eyes as I sat down. He nodded at me warmly.

Tom cleared his throat, and pushed himself into motion, handing out the go-cups of tea from the tray he carried. "So, have you two finished plotting world domination?" he asked mock seriously.

James threw me a cheeky wink, and deadpanned, "So, dear girl, how is he in bed?" I laughed. Tom choked "Dad!" I gave Tom a wink, and James a knowing grin. "I'm still here, aren't I?"

"Right! That's enough of that, you two! Christ, Dad, must you flirt with the women I bring 'round??"

James pursed his lips judicially, tilting his head to the side. "What women?" he asked Tom pointedly.

Tom groaned. "Dad...!" I jumped in. "Alright you two, who knows the score of last weeks' Manchester United match? I missed it."

They were off. Tom threw me a grateful look for diverting his dad. I'm pretty sure that James had made his point. Huh. So Tom doesn't bring loads of women 'round... And why does he want me to have that information...? 

I watched as they chatted about the game, laughing and throwing their hands about describing the trajectory of a goal, groaning over an own goal. I tossed in the occasional comment, just to show I was paying attention, but mostly I just watched these two interact. It was clear that not only did they love each other, but they were each very fond of the other. Tom was laughing and animated. Happy, his eyes flashing blue, his teeth glinting frequently in his smile. My fingers itched to have my camera. Eventually, the conversation tailed off, and James yawned.

Tom smiled and stood, leaning over to kiss his dad's cheek. "We've tired you. Get some rest. We'll see you tomorrow. Is there anything you need?"

James smiled up at Tom. "A bloody decent cup of tea?" Tom chuckled. "I'll see what we can do..." He turned and extended a hand, helping me up from my chair. James looked on in approval. Guess I know where he learned his manners, now...

I stepped forward and took James' hand. "It was lovely to meet you, James. Have a good rest tonight, I'm sure they'll spring you soon. Don't chase the nurses, they might want to keep you longer..." I kissed his bristled cheek. He chuckled and squeezed my hand, nodding at Tom.

"Thank you, dear girl. Make sure he eats, will you?" he tipped his head at his son.

"Oh, definitely! If he eats then I'll get to eat, and I'm all for that! I can be quite persuasive for a decent meal..." James smiled and winked at me.

Tom chuckled. "Good night, Dad." and brushed another kiss on the old mans' cheek as well, ushering me out of the room with a hand in the small of my back. I turned my head and sent a wink in James' direction just before moving through the door. 

Tom held my hand as we walked down the corridor to the lifts. He bent his head to look at me.

"Well, that's my Dad. You two seemed to get on well...?"

"My god," I said, "It was like spending an hour with Peter fucking O'Toole! Jesus, your old Dad could charm the knickers off a nun!"

Tom laughed. "He could at that!"

"Oh yes" I nodded enthusiastically, "he's lovely! How is he married to your step-mother?"

Tom shook his head. "Darling, I have no earthly idea!"

"Tom?"

"Hmm?"

"Feed me?"

"I'd be delighted. What would you like to eat?"

I flashed a grin at him. He laughed back at me.

"Naughty girl. Maybe later...if you're very good."

"Mmm. You'll have to be the judge of that." I smiled my best impish grin at him.

Tom cleared his throat. I thought he'd make some other suggestive comment, but we were just passing a couple of nurses, and he restrained himself.

"There's a place not far from our hotel. Walking distance in fact. They do quite good Italian?"

"Yum! That'll do.”


End file.
